News & Spotlights
Calypso Beacon Treatments Well Under Way
The Calypso® 4D Localization System™, GPS for the Body®, was commissioned for use in our clinic in May, 2008 for prostate cancer treatments. Using implanted sensors, this system accurately and continuously pinpoints the location of tumors in real-time while the radiation therapy is being delivered.
We are the first clinic in the Research Triangle area to use this innovative system. In fact, UNC has the most extensive experience in the Triangle using Calypso for rapid fractionation with real-time imaging.
Read more about Prostate Motion During Treatment [MS Word]→
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CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery
The CyberKnife® System is the world's first and only commercially available intelligent robotic radiosurgery system designed to treat tumors anywhere in the body. The CyberKnife’s flexible robotic arm provides unparalleled access to previously unreachable tumors with submillimeter accuracy. CyberKnife is noninvasive, so doctors can treat multiple tumors without making a single incision.
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Dr. Jared Snyder honored for research using a nanotechnology-based cell irradiator
Dr. Jared Snyder, a postdoctoral researcher in Dr. Adrienne Cox's laboratory, received a cash prize and a Best Poster award at the recent UNC Department of Pharmacology Research Retreat for his poster presentation, "Using carbon nanotube field emission to probe the mechanism of tumor selectivity of microbeam radiation therapy". Jared also discussed this work at the annual Lineberger Postdoctoral Research Day. In collaboration with physics faculty members Drs. Sha Chang and Jerry Zhang, Jared has been investigating whether cancer cells are more sensitive than normal ones to microbeam irradiation produced by a novel, nanotechnology-based single cell irradiator.
Tim Cullip receives 2009 Oncology Service Excellence Award
Tim Cullip, a senior software engineer and member of the Department's Physics and Computing Division, was selected from a long list of nominees to receive a 2009 Oncology Service Excellence Award in recognition of his many years of hard work developing and refining our radiotherapy treatment planning software, PLanUNC or "PLUNC". The sofware, originally developed at UNC over 20 years ago, includes graphical tools for outlining anatomical structures, virtual simulation, dose calculation and analysis, and IMRT treatment planning. The software is used worldwide at many institutions involved in radiation therapy patient care, research and education, and has also been incorporated into several commercially-available treatment planning systems. An awards ceremony took place on November 2, 2009 in the NC Cancer Hospital lobby and was attended by Tim's family, friends and Radiation Oncology colleagues. Congratulations Tim!
Dr. Robert Adams awarded 4-year grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Dr, Robert Adams is the recipient of an over $1 million NCI R25 grant entitled "Curriculum and Modules for Computer-Based Instruction of Medical Dosimetry". This new grant will support the development of computer-based educational modules for the clinical training of the Department's medical dosimetry students, and has the potential for use in other training programs both nationally and internationally. The UNC Department of Radiation Oncology has had a nationally-accredited, one year, medical dosimetry certificate program for the past eight years, the first accredited program of its kind in the United States. The purpose of this grant is to translate part of the dosimetry education and training into a computer-based format, with training modules including designed case studies, assessment and evaluation tools, and links to external resources for further topic study.
Move to the new North Carolina Cancer Hospital is complete!
The Department of Radiation Oncology's move to the new North Carolina Cancer Hospital was completed on of October 9, 2009. Please come visit us in our new, lovely and large home, dedicated to state-of-the-art, compassionate cancer care for the people of North Carolina. Our clinic is located on the lowest floor ("M" level), with the main entrance at street level on Manning Drive.
Meanwhile, why not visit the North Carolina Cancer Hospital's website for all sorts of interesting information, videos, expert interviews and photo galleries documenting the NCCH's history and construction.
Best Poster at UNC Lineberger Retreat
For a second year in a row, a resident radiation oncologist has received an award at the UNC Lineberger Annual Scientific Retreat. Dr. Steve Harris' poster entitled "p16INK4a as a biomarker for improved outcomes in young patients with HPV-negative squamous cell cancers of the oral tongue" won a prize in the category of clinical/translational research at the 2009 Retreat.
Radiation Oncology Educators Honored
Dr. Robert Adams received the American Association of Medical Dosimetrist's (AAMD) 2009 Award of Excellence, in recognition of distinguished accomplishments and contributions to the field of medical dosimetry. The Award of Excellence is the highest honor that the AAMD bestows, and was presented to Dr. Adams during the society's June, 2009 annual meeting held in Scottsdale, AZ.
On May 20, 2009, Drs. Mahesh Varia and Elaine Zeman were inducted as Fellows in the UNC School of Medicine's Academy of Educators in recognition of their long-standing contributions to resident education and mentorship. The Academy, first established in 2006, has as part of its mission to promote and support excellence in teaching and the work and career paths of excellent teachers.
Dr. Robert Adams is the recipient of the 2008-2009 Harold Silverman Distinguished Author Award for his peer-reviewed paper entitled "The Admissions Process and Student Success in Radiation Therapy Education", published with co-author Laura Ochs in the Fall, 2008 edition of the journal Radiation Therapist.
Dr. Joel Tepper awarded American Society of Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Gold Medal
Dr. Joel Tepper, M.D., FASTRO, has been chosen to receive the 2008 ASTRO Gold Medal. The Gold Medal, ASTRO's highest honor, is bestowed on revered members who have made outstanding contributions to the field of radiation oncology.
“It seems particularly fitting that we recognize these two leaders in the field of radiation oncology and
former leaders of ASTRO as part of our 50th anniversary celebration,” said Louis Harrison, M.D., chairman of
ASTRO’s Board of Directors and a radiation oncologist at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City. “Both
of these leaders have served as role models to me and I will take great personal pride in being able to present
them with their medals.
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Drs. Marks, Rosenman, Tepper and Varia Voted "Best Doctors in North Carolina, 2008"
BusinessNC.com reports that four UNC physicians from the Department of Radiation Oncology made the list: Drs. Lawrence Marks, Julian Rosenman, Joel Tepper and Mahesh Varia.
"Best Doctors, which polls physicians nationwide, received record responses for the 2008-09 list. Doctors are asked whom they would choose if they or a member of their family needed a specialist. Fewer than 5% of North Carolina's 29,000 licensed physicians made the list."
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Dr. Elaine Zeman receives Association of Residents in Radiation Oncology (ARRO) Teaching Award
Dr. Elaine Zeman, Associate Professor in the Cancer Biology Division, was the recipient of the 2007-2008 ARRO Teacher of the Year Award, for excellence in teaching and enthusiastic support of residency training.
Dr. Sha Chang Elected SEAAPM Chapter President; awarded patent
Dr. Sha Chang, Associate Professor and the Chief of Physics & Computing Division, was elected President-Elect of the Southeastern Chapter of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (SEAAPM), which covers North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee.
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Dr. Sha Chang and co-inventor Dr. Otto Zhou were awarded Patent US#7220971 "Multi-pixel electron microbeam irradiator systems and methods for selectively irradiating predetermined locations".
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Best Posters at UNC Lineberger Retreat
Dr. Jim Apisarnthanarax, a resident radiation oncologist, was awarded First Place for best clinical/translational poster at the 2008 UNC Lineberger Annual Scientific Retreat.
Dr. Donita Brady, a recent doctoral recipient from Dr. Adrienne Cox's lab, was awarded First Place for best basic science poster at the 2008 UNC Lineberger Annual Scientific Retreat.
Dr. Yoko Itahana awarded a three-year National Institutes of Health (NIH) fellowship
Dr. Yoko Itahana, a postdoctoral fellow from Dr. Yanping Zhang’s laboratory, was recently awarded a three-year fellowship, the NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Fellowship (NRSA F32), to study the E3 ubiquitin ligase activity of the oncoprotein Mdm2 using a mouse model.
Dr. Mahesh Varia Elected 2007 American Society of Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Fellow
Dr. Mahesh Varia, Professor of Radiation Oncology, has been elected a 2007 ASTRO Fellow. Eligibility to receive the “FASTRO” designation is based on the length of Society membership and meritorious service to ASTRO and to the field of radiation oncology in general. Four possible pathways to becoming a Fellow – leadership/service, research, patient care and education – are considered. Dr. Varia will be honored in a special Fellows Induction Ceremony on October 30, 2007 during the upcoming 49th Annual Meeting of ASTRO in Los Angeles, CA. He joins Dr. Joel Tepper, Hector MacLean Distinguished Professor of Radiation Oncology, who became an ASTRO Fellow in 2006.
Dr. Jian Zhang Receives 2007 American Association of Medical Physics (AAPM) Reviewer’s Choice Award
Dr. Jian (Jerry) Zhang, Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology, received a Reviewer’s Choice award from the AAPM at their 49th Annual Meeting, July 22-26, 2007, for his presentation on “Multiplexing radiography for ultra-fast computed tomography: a feasibility study”. Over 1,100 abstracts were submitted for scientific review this year, and Dr. Zhang’s was chosen by the reviewers as one of the eight highest ranked submissions. Co-authors on the paper included G. Yang, Y. Lee, S. Chang, J. Lu and O. Zhou from the Departments of Radiation Oncology and Physics and Astronomy.
Dr. Yanping Zhang awarded 5-year grant from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
Dr. Yanping Zhang, Associate Professor in the Cancer Biology Division, was awarded a 5-year research grant from Leukemia and Lymphoma Society for his work on Targeting B23.NPM in leukemia and lymphoma.
Dr. Sha Chang awarded 3-year National Cancer Institute (NCI) grant for nanotube micro-RT technology
Dr. Sha Chang, Associate Professor and the Chief of Physics & Computing Division, was awarded a three-year NCI grant to develop carbon nanotube field emission based x-ray pixel array micro-CT technology for small animal cancer model research.
Dr. Julian Rosenman awarded 2-year National Cancer Institute (NCI) grant for treatment planning automation
Dr. Julian Rosenman, Professor of Radiation Oncology, was awarded a 2-year NCI grant to develop automation techniques for radiotherapy treatment planning of head and neck cancer.